BA

We had a pow-wow at work that involved the boss, the boss' boss, and the boss' boss's boss. Sooo, you know there would be free food. And good stuff too! Green beans, sweet potatoes, chicken, and even steak! Woohoo! I love free food.

We had this pow-wow in order for them to update us on our site situation. It would seem that perhaps we may have as much as a year, not six months, but nobody is guaranteeing anything.

Given the situation, I suppose the mood was fairly somber, but I didn't feel that way. I was getting free food, they were telling us that we may have longer than expected, which also means that I'll have even longer to have income and save, which means I'll have even more savings to sustain myself after that.

Besides, they brought food for heaven sake, and it's not like it's their fault the site is shutting down. How can anyone get upset over that? So, I stayed over and made sure I said thank you and shook their hands.

But this impending shutdown is also a perfect example to me how life can be so uncertain, and that the only way to fight it is by creating your own financial safe harbor.

Stock trading talk.

Even though I've effectively frozen all stock trading right now, it would seem that I don't want to stop delving deeper and deeper into it either.

So, anyways, I'm mulling over whether to stay with Scottrade, or switch over to either WellsTrade or OptionsHouse.

Scottrade is perfectly fine, but for me, it's also the middle-of-the-road option for discount retailer brokerages, and I think there might be something cheaper and better out there?

For example, WellsTrade will give me up to 100 free trades per year. If I had maxed that out with Scottrade, it would be up to $700 per year in trading fees.

OptionsHouse has one of the lowest rates in the industry, and like Scottrade, they work on flat fees. At the very least, while Scottrade's $7 per trade fee is pretty good, OptionsHouse is even better at only $3 per trade. And as the name implies, OptionsHouse is geared towards option trading, so I can continue to trade stocks if I wish, but have plenty of room to grow into options as well. Best of all, OptionsHouse also has a flat fee for options contracts, $10, which is actually kind of high unless you write relatively big lots. But to me, that also means the orders can be scalable while the price remains the same!

OH also lets you set up with a virtual account, so that's what I am currently tinkering with.

So anyways, that's what I'm thinking. WellsTrade if I just want to stick with casual stocks, and OH if I want to get into options. I could stay with Scottrade and even use their OptionsFirst program, but their tickets are $7, followed by $1.25 per contract! That's pretty expensive!

But don't worry. I'm taking my sweet old time on this because it will be a while before I can get my money together to open a real account. Two years maybe? It will probably take at least that long for me to get the hang of using basic options anyways, let alone try anything fancy.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

Soooo, you guys know how worried I am about losing my job and not having money.

Soooo, I guess it won't make a whole lot of sense to anyone then that I've bought and built a new computer for my middle son.

Why am I doing it? Because there's this new game that my oldest son and I are playing together that my middle son wants to play as well. He's 12 and is starting to know more about games than I do.

But that's not really the reason why I did it. That's only the reason why I've decided to do it now. We have a chance to play together with something we all enjoy, and considering that I don't see my children that often, I don't want to pass up the opportunity....

But the real reason why I did it is because he's a lot like me. He's that kid that likes to sit quietly in the corner, tinkering with something. I know the ups and downs of being that kid, how people may view you, but also the great potential that can come out of it with the right tools and incentives.

My first computer was an Apple II, and it opened up a whole new world that I didn't even know existed! It was my mad scientist lab and private world all to my own, where the only limitation was my imagination... and technical knowledge.

With it, I explored digital music, digital art, and with internet later, my world expanded that much further, connecting with like minded people. I've been programming on my own since I was 8 or 9 years old.

Now, I don't know if my middle son will be as inspired by a computer as I have been, but he has a similar personality as I do, and I believe that it will do him a world of good.

Oh, and although it placed a nice little dent on my savings, I am still on track overall. I wouldn't have even thought of doing it if I didn't think I could pull it off. It's probably my last great purchase for a very, very long time though.

I'm a little surprised that my net worth went up this month because, knowing that I'm going to be out of a job soon, I've effectively frozen all my stock trading, and instead, have been focusing on nothing but just building up my emergency fund. The only thing I'm still contributing to are passive investments such as my 401(k).

I'm probably over-reacting to my impending job loss. It's only a job, and so long as I can find another one and keep the income rolling in, I should be OK. I also realize that there are people out there dealing with much worse issues than this.

Still, this isn't something I can brush off.

What are you doing for Black Friday?

As for me, I plan to avoid the crowded traffic and the general hassles of the shopping frenzy at all cost. Although I may run out real quick, mostly, I'm just going to stay home.

I... don't think I will ever understand the point of being out on Black Friday. If there's actually a benefit to this, please clue me in.

In the meantime, I've already prepared a crockpot for tomorrow. I'm experimenting (again) with a variation of the Italian chicken recipe. Crossing my fingers, I hope it will turn out well.

Speaking of experimental cooking, anybody ever seen caviar parfait before? It's one of the most

visually stunning food creations I've ever seen! I don't think I'll ever actually try it, but for those who may be interested, ThinkGeek sells a small DIY kit.

Not financially-related, but I thought these were so cute and funny that I just HAD to share it.

Kitty on the slide.

Begging kitty.

Dishes
So, someone requested that I take pictures of the dishware, as if to imply that I don't have the stones to use my gift card to buy dishes! Well, I'm going to prove you wrong! I think! I'm strong! I can do this! Baby step to open the wallet. Baby step to touch the gift card. It's OK, it's OK! Take a deep breath and try again.... Baby steps to touch the gift card....

Anyway, here's the floral pattern:


Yeah, I must be getting old or something to think that this is a nice design on plates.... The bowls are straight lines though.... And the cups are actually Chinese stoneware, not American Vitrelle like the dishes. I wonder if they're microwaveable? Or do they still leech lead or something? Anybody know?

Bed
While I had the camera out, I thought I'd take a snapshot of something crazy I came up with late last night. I was trying to sleep and couldn't help but notice that it was much colder than usual. Even my face, ears, and especially my nose was cold enough to be uncomfortable.

Rather than turning up the heat some more, I thought that if there was only some way to just create a much smaller space, I could use just my own body heat to stay warm.

So *cough* this is what I came up with:


Well, it seemed like a good idea last night! Of course, lots of things seem like a good idea when I'm half asleep. It's a good thing people don't try to sell me volcano insurance during late nights.

Yeah, I know. I'm too old to be building forts with mom's furniture. But you want to know something crazy? I think it actually worked well! It was just enough to take the bite out of the cold air and let me sleep comfortably....

I'm planning to put it back and try something else though, but before I do, I thought you guys might get a kick out of a picture of it first.

I was just thinking about how this guy I know, who knows this guy, who is getting married to a woman whose parents have died in an accident of some kind. They both had something like a million dollar policy, so she is at least going to be financially OK....

Or is she? The guy she is getting married to is already talking about how he plans to quit his job, chill for a while, and use her money to start up a new business for himself.

Although I may be presumptuous, it just rubbed me the wrong way. I mean, here is a young woman who has suffered a tragic loss, and all he can think about is how he is going to spend her money.

So, the first thing I blurbed out is, "Pre-nup". This guy I know replied, "That would be the smart thing to do. Problem is, she is really young and not thinking straight right now. So, I don't think she has a pre-nup, and knowing this guy, he would never allow her to have one or agree to it."

I can't do anything for this woman. I don't even have a clue as to who she is. But perhaps this will serve as a warning for others. Somewhere out there, a woman lost her parents, and a guy is marrying to his lottery ticket.

So my employer decided to give us all a $25 gift card to Wal-mart, as he puts it, to help take the sting out of the holiday season.

It's a bit unexpected, but I am very grateful for it.

Now, I have to figure out what it is that I should use it on that would give the most bang for the buck? The first thought was the dishware set, but I am not sure if there isn't something better out there? Perhaps something related to job hunting or at least more TP?

I don't know. Can you guys think of anything?

Soooo, how about this recession eh? I recently found out that my entire work site is shutting down. I had suspected that it might happen for a while, but now, it's been made official.

Since the time of the announcement, they said we've got about six months. I guess I took a little bit of time for it all to sink in, sort out my thoughts, and decide on a plan of action.

Well, the second I heard, all non-essential spending stopped. On the spot.

Also, I've already reviewed my budget. For better or worse, I've been largely frugal, so there isn't much to cut back. I suppose I can decrease the internet, eliminate Netflix, and cook more at home. But beyond that, bills like gas, electricity, and phone are already running at its bare minimum. Overall, I'm pleased to have been able to run a tight ship on my budget.

I've got between now and then to find another job. Given this economic climate, it won't be easy, but hopefully, I'll find something and it won't interrupt the income flow.

If it does, as you know, I've been plugging away at my emergency fund this entire time. Right now, I'm probably good for 6 to 8 months, but I want to be 1 year ready by the time shutdown completes.

Worst case, there's always unemployment benefits.

Overall though, I think I'm actually in a good shape to absorb the impact of potential unemployment. It's nothing like going through my financial situation during the divorce. Wow, looking back at it, I'm shocked that I even managed to get through that with any semblance of a financial picture....

But I did, and this time, I am much better prepared for any financial bumps that may lie ahead....

And yet, you know, it's a funny thing. Despite all the readiness and being healthy on the numbers, the very prospect of not having income fills me with utter fear. Isn't it funny? I think it is. I guess the difference is that I just didn't know better back then, but I do now.

By the way, to my ex and those related to her, I highly recommend that you do not gloat over this under the guise of "concern" for the children or even me. This sort of thing will make me a lot more adversarial than accommodating, I assure you. The children will be fine when they are with me. (She did that to me once, and I don't want to put up with that a second time.)

Uh, I don't want to end this with such a downbeat note. All-in-all, I am grateful for the job because it provided the much-needed stability during my transition through divorce. But the truth is, my current job is also getting a bit long in the tooth anyway, and it's time to move on. I just wish it wasn't forced, but that's life sometimes.

Now, for something completely unrelated, does anyone know if you can crockpot wild rice for 8 hours? I've been wanting to try an Italian chicken recipe, but it'd be great if I could somehow cook the rice along with it. Or is it still better to cook it separately?

Considering how easily things can go wrong in life, it's always good to count your blessings.

For example, my employer will cover a pair of shoes per year, and when my current shoes fell apart, I got a new pair for free! Well, that is, when the employer refund comes back. Oh yeah, I picked up a sweet pair of Timberlands.

Plus, I'll be able to do this again next year! I'm no shoe person, but I've read it's always good to have two pairs to alternate so that they will last longer.

A co-worker also asked if I wanted to have lunch. Free food? I was all over that! In fact, we went to a great steak place. Did I mention it was free? Woohoo!

When it comes to movies, I'm a typical guy with typical tastes. However, once in a while, I would step outside my comfort zone and try something new. So, that's how I ended up renting "The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons" on Redbox for $1.

Although it had some awkward moments, overall, the movie is quite touching and even captivating. How or why it is, I am still not sure. But it was a good movie.

One of the main themes in that movie is the value of time, and how important it is to spend it well. I completely agree. If there should ever be one asset in our lives to obsess over, it might as well be time.

(Warning: Potential spoilers ahead.)

But, with my financial cap on now, I have to say that the movie is also slightly mistakened in a few ways. In this case, while time is the most valuable asset we may have, it still doesn't mean money isn't important. If his late father wasn't wealthy and left everything to him, Ben, the protagonist, would not have been able to live so care-free. And when their daughter was born, he would not have had a dime to leave behind for her future.

(Spoilers over.)

In other words, in order to live life to the fullest, you must also have money. Many people tend to ruminate over money on its own. But to me, it's only one ingredient in a list of many to make a good crockpot soup. But it's an important one. To me, it's something basic and vital, like salt.

Now, I know it's a fictional movie, but the message is very real: Live life the best you can, while you still can. But I would also add that in order to do so, you also have to save ahead and plan ahead. I don't disagree that life isn't important. I'm just surprised at how many people would say that, but then, do nothing about it in terms of preparations towards that goal. You know what I mean?

To me, it's not always about money versus life. Rather, it's about money towards life.

When I decided to cook soup with a crockpot, rather than the usual onions, I decided to take a chance on something called a fennel?



Truth to tell, I didn't even know what it was when I saw it. The grocery store didn't have a name printed for it or anything. All I knew was that it looked like a cross between a celery and an onion, and it had a particularly distinct aroma, similar to onion but not really.

The scary part is that they turned out to be $2 a piece, but I figure that it was worth trying anyways. (The price wasn't printed, so I didn't know until it was rung up.)

When I got home and looked it up on the internet, it mentioned that it was not only nutritious, but was also medicinal in some way. Interesting.

Unfortunately, 12 hours in the crockpot made the fennel give off a strong, bitter smell, and it did not do much to soften up the vegetable. Overall though, the soup still ended up fine.

So, even though I won't use fennel again, it was a new and interesting experience just the same. And for that, it was worth $2.

Through a co-worker, I found out yet another fantastic-looking hotel in Thailand. This one is called the Sarojin.

Just look at these pictures!

Of course, I still love the way the Buri Rasa looks. Woot!

Considering the level of quality, the cost of these hotels are actually not that bad! Even now, it would seem the US dollar can still go a long way in Thailand.

Although I would love to go to one of these hotels some day, I would love it even more if I can bring some of that styling home... to an actual home... some day.

I'll bet it can be done, but of course, the pre-requisite would be to have a home in the first place. Speaking of homes, check out these spectacular Hakka houses from China.

Of course, something like that is entirely way, way too big for me (and it was meant for a different time period). I could be perfectly content with a small dwelling, perhaps even something as small as a tool shed if it looked like this:



Well, provided that it has water, electricity, and a bathroom and all that. By the way, that parasol is not attached to the building.

Dentist
I just got back from a dentist appointment. My teeth would have slight shooting pains whenever I drink something very cold, so I thought it wouldn't hurt to go have a check up. It's fully covered by insurance anyway.

But when I got there, they were also talking about how maybe I should have a bite guard ($400), a crown ($2600), and have my wisdom teeth removed (cost unknown; another specialist). Say, is it normal for me to only have lower wisdom teeth, but not upper?

But anyways, although I didn't say anything, I'm thinking to myself what an insane amount of money they want. To tell you the truth, I don't want them to do any of that. I mean, is there anything in there that is truly necessary?

Plates
I finally checked out Walmart's Corelle plates. I saw a really nice set that is mostly white, but also had a nice, subtle leafy trim on it. Very nice, and also $30. I probably should have picked it up, but for some reason, I just couldn't pull the trigger.

I kept thinking that maybe I won't use it all that much after all. But what made me change my mind was that at least I know what's out there and where to get it. So, whenever I do change my mind again, I'll know exactly where to go to pick it up.

Comfort food
The weather has been rather dreary and, you know, it's funny how the weather can really cost you money if you're not careful. For example, because it's been cold and rainy, I've been having an overwhelming desire for warm comfort food, even when I am not hungry. And that's the problem. I would crave it when I'm not hungry. Not only is there a risk to cost, but I may also over-eat, which I don't want to do.

Besides sheer willpower, I don't know how to fight this though, and I'm open for suggestions if anyone has any.

Gas bill
Finally, I just got my gas bill, and I was very pleasantly surprised that it only costed me $18.75. Considering that the weather has cooled down, I would have expected a lot more.

For the most part though, I've been keeping my temperatures very low (when the kids are not with me). Like 55. I think that's good enough, especially when I am running my computer.

Overall though, I'm enjoying the fall, and I hope you do too.

You may or may not be aware of a growing camp or group or movement called the "Big Wins".

Their idea is that it's best to focus on the big stuff. The low-hanging fruit. The stuff that will make the biggest financial difference with the least amount of effort. Like your mortgage, or your insurance, or your career. Stuff like that.

I don't have a problem with that, but the Big Win camp's critique usually

takes it a step further and claim, "Some people spend so much time sweating the small stuff that they don't bother to do the same on the big stuff. They're penny wise and pound foolish, negating their daily scrimping and saving by making poor financial decisions that burden them for years."

SAY WHAT?

How many readers here are so busy clipping coupons that they actually forget to re-finance their mortgage? Raise your hand. What about cars? Has couponing caused you to forget to look at affordable cars? And how many here are so busy clipping away that they've completely forgotten to work on getting a raise? Raise your hand high please, so I can count them.

What? No hands? Why? Because the Big Wins are wrong! Why is there an automatic assumption that we are so caught up in the little things that we've become incapable of noticing the big things?

Look, Big Wins. Some people enjoy doing these little things in life. Why? Because it brings us comfort and joy. It also gets us closer to our financial goals, because yes, little things can and do add up.

Now, if you don't want to do the little things, that's fine. Nobody says you have to do them. Nobody says you have to do anything. However, to claim that people who do little things are completely ignorant of the big things? I'm sorry, but that is completely absurd.

Besides, even the little things can be automated. For example, I don't think people cut a ton of coupons anymore. Many of the discounts come straight off of grocery store memberships. I simply carry it on my key chain, swipe it when I check out, and I get discounts. What's so hard about that?

With some automation and pre-planning, I think there's plenty of time to do both the big things and the little things, AND still have time to enjoy life. Be both penny wise and pound wise... or just be financially wise in general. Why not?

Finally, I just want to add that Get Rich Slowly isn't the main culprits on this kind of thinking, and although I linked them, I don't entirely blame them. JD, the author, has also been very good about focusing on the little things as well, and it's likely that this idea originated from elsewhere.

Hello! Welcome to the 2009 edition of Strangely Creepy! I'm your host, BA, here for yet another round of lively talks with... myself regarding matters of the strange and creepy kind.

So BA, temperatures are dropping now. Are you ready for Jack Frost to come a'knocking?
Ugh, no. As you know, I'm reluctant to just turn up the heat. I do turn it up when the kids are with me, but it seems like a colossal waste when it's just myself.

Righty ho! So, making plans to bunker up in Fort Closet?
Returning to the closet has crossed my mind, and it's still a serious option on the table. But there's a reason why I didn't do it last year and why I am hesitant to do it anymore at all.

Really! Do go on....
Mostly, it has to do with the technical issues of good air circulation, because you know, the last thing I need is to kill any more brain cells. The confined space also leads to the issue of my body sweat collecting with nowhere to go. I would wake up drenched. That and there's the potential hazard of having a radiator in a room full of clothes that would have to be addressed....

Oh, boo hoo I have poo in my pants, why not just tough it up, man? Show them lovely ladies out there the hairs on your backside by hibernating in the closet with macho gusto.
Don't you mean hair on the chest? Or do you mean spine on the backside?

Whichever.
OK... again, the closet option isn't off the table yet. In fact, I still think it's worth serious consideration. All I am saying is that there may be better options out there.

Such as?
Well, what about just a sleeping bag or even pitching a tent or something? That way, I can still reduce the amount of space that needs to be heated, but still be in a room where there is good air circulation?

Well, I don't know. It certainly sounds strangely creepy, but I'm just the interviewer, and you're suppose to have all the answers. Don't you have the answers?
Well, I've thought long and hard about it, and I do think it can work. With some effort, it may even be affordable and not even look tacky!

But...
But what?

Well, you seemed like you were about to add a "But..."
Ah, yes. But... the catch is this would require more money. In fact, it would require that I set up a separate savings fund to get all the gear in place. Of course, I wouldn't consider any expensive options, and I would consider something that could and would be used year after year.

Of course. So, anything in particular in mind?
I would just love to pull off a stylish looking yurt. I know, crazy right?

Strangely creepy!
But take a look at this!

I know it's a picture of a permanent dwelling, but yurts by nature are small portable tents. The trick is just to find a way to build one that's both affordable, stylish, and can be taken down and put back up year after year.

So, that's what you've decided?
Well, no. I'm still in the brain-storming stage, so all this is just.. you know... brainstorming.

So, you have no earthly clue what you want to do.
Ok, no, I really don't know. I'm still deciding. I do know one thing is for sure: I don't want to have to turn on the heat too high just to keep myself warm. I think that's just nuts.

Alright, any ideas on how you plan to resolve this?
Well, whenever I'm not sure about something, I would ask around for outside input. What about asking the readers on what they think I should do about it?

Smashing! Kind of like that internet 2.0 thing that we keep hearing about. The wave of the 21st century and all that jazz.
Yes indeed!

So, there you have it! Thank you for listening in on another exciting episode Strangely Creepy. And this time, we would love to hear from you dear readers. Please. Help out our hapless, hairless chump (Hey!) I mean chum and his winter predicament. Until then, this is BA, signing out!

A nice list of financial podcasts.

Yep. That's all I've got right now.

This isn't exactly exciting or anything, but I decided to go ahead and buy a batch of Walmart bonds. I needed a certain amount of bond position anyways, and Scottrade will buy them for you for free. Plus, there's no expense ratios involved, and I think Walmart bonds are pretty solid.

The "downside", if you want to call it that, is that you can't pull them out until they mature, which will be two years from now for mine. The interest for the 2 year is 5% per year, and this is done through the Roth so no capital gains tax.

While I've bought stocks for a little while now, I confess this is the first time I've bought individual bonds. Sure, I've had bond funds before, and still do in 401(k), just not individual bonds.

Also, I've noticed that some bonds are more expensive than others. I thought the Walmart bonds were relatively pricey at $108 a piece, but I guess that's also what happens when you buy something that seems to be in demand....

The final thing I'm hoping to do for 2009 is to shift some of my rollover money into the Roth as well. Of course, I'll have to pay taxes for it, and truth is, I'm not sure if I have the spare cash to pay for the amount I want to convert. We shall see though.

Anybody ever bought bonds? If so, how did that work out for you?

Very negative post. Please ignore if you don't want to hear me whine.

I was hanging out with a buddy of mine, and somehow we ended up talking about Obama's health care. This buddy of mine is convinced that the health care plan is going to fail somehow. I won't get into the details, but suffice to say, he was misinformed about certain things, and despite me clarifying them, he still somehow believes that it's just not going to work.

But that's not the point. The real point here is, in the past, I used to just let things go and say, "Yeah, whatever." For some reason though, I just couldn't do it tonight. I probably ended up wasting a good hour debating this and had no desire to back down.

In fact, lately, I've noticed that I can't seem to just let anything slide anymore. I'm just... really tired of people who are stuck on incorrect opinions based on faulty logic or information. Bonus point if they act high and mighty as though they've got it all figured out, and therefore, I'm the ignorant fool.

When I got back home, I soul-searched a little bit, and it occurred to me that perhaps it's because I've had to take that for so many years from my ex-wife, especially after our separation and divorce, and perhaps it's manifested into a strong pet peeve. Even now, years after the divorce, I am just... so tired of her shit. Pardon me.

And no, I won't take it anymore. It doesn't matter how vicious or holy she wants to act, I'm going to fight her into the ground, and then pound her some more until she learns to talk nice or none at all. I'm sorry to be so tainted like this, but I don't care. Kick a mangy dog enough times, and sooner or later, you have to expect to get bitten.

Now, don't get me wrong though. I'm still OK with people, including my ex, pointing out something that is factually correct or something I didn't know before. I'm fine with being corrected if I really am wrong about something....

Oh, listen to me. I'm polluting both the blogs and my heart. I really am sorry, guys. A part of me does wish that I could be a better man, but... for better or worse, this is honestly how I feel right now.

Sigh.

But other than that, I had a nice night. We went to a restaurant, but I had already eaten, so I only ordered a (non-alcoholic) drink. Then we went to see the movie Zombieland. I paid full theater price, but I enjoyed the movie so it was worth it.

Um... this can't be right. This month is, by far, the biggest jump I've ever had since I started tracking my net worth.

Why? I'm not sure! In fact, I just triple-checked my numbers because I simply don't believe it!

Hmm. For one thing, it appears that my stock positions did extremely well over October. Extremely well. I'm completely out at this point, but that's the main driver.

Secondly, and this kind of shocks me, but my cash reserve has increased substantially. It shocks me because I did go to Atlantic City for a weekend, and the overall cost was substantial.

I mean, I'm not trying to gloat or anything. Honest. I'm just shocked and a little alarmed more than anything. How in the world did the numbers work out so favorably? I'm going to check again....

Edit: Ok, I know what happened. My road trip was made in advance, back in Sept. Therefore, I took the cash hit there. This month, the guys paid me back their share, creating that artificial bump in this month's calculations. Still, most of the money did come from the stock market.

Well, for me and my stock positions anyway. The GDP quarterly report just came out, and it's beaming with happy news.

The bulls claim that this is the first sign of a fundamental economic recovery. A real green shoot. The bears, however, believe that this Indian summer is the result of the government stimulus program.

Alas, I am in the bearish camp.

I've been slowly taking some off the table throughout this warming, but now, I am completely out. But I can't complain since I'm also sitting on a pile of money, even if it's a small one.

I'm not sure what to do next. I'm over-due for a rebalancing anyways, so I'll definitely work on that. Beyond that, I'm going to wait and see what the market does next, after the earnings season and the stimulus programs.

I don't know what's wrong with me, but I thought you guys might find this funny. I'm a guy, but here I am looking through dinnerware sets. This seems kind of pretty to me, though maybe not entirely practical and is too thematic:

Anyways, I still live very much like a bachelor, complete with plastic forks and paper plates. I was just thinking that maybe it's worth the investment to use real plates instead. I mean, used long enough, it can save money right?

I'm also thinking about getting an electric grill (such as a George Foreman grill) and possibly a juicer. All this, I think, would help me cook more at home, and eat healthier and cheaper.

But I don't know. Spending this kind of money up front makes me wonder if I am thinking straight lately, or have I slipped back to my old spendy ways? Would I really use them enough to justify it? And if I were to get a dinnerware set, any particular advice or suggestions on where to look? Or will anything from Walmart do?

Does anyone have LASIK? If so, how was your experience?

I am considering it, but it's so much money!

And to be perfectly honest, I can't justify it as a need either. I don't think. It may seem like an useful life improvement, but the truth is, I could also live with just glasses for the rest of my life.

I don't know. What do you think?

After thinking about the matter, I decided that there was no perceivable harm in revealing where I went to visit some friends. We hung out at Atlantic City for a weekend.

I don't personally care for gambling, but I've also never gambled before in my life. So, out of morbid curiosity, I decided to cave in to "peer pressure" and try out the slot machine and Blackjack.

I knew the slot machine is a terrific way to flush your money down the drain, so I played it only for the "fun" of it. However, when I got extremely lucky on one of the plays, I decided to cash it out while I was still ahead.

Then I tried Blackjack. I've read about it before, but the first time that I saw it in action, it really sunk in just how quickly and easily you can make and lose money. Emphasis on the losing part, even though I am aware that your odds are much better here than on slots. So, I stood and watched for quite a while until I decided upon a strategy.

I knew that, over time, the house always wins, and therefore, any strategy over prolonging my stay would be a losing one. So, I decided to play only for a few short hands, but I made up for it by betting more than the minimum. Uh, don't worry. I didn't put in any more money than what I was prepared to lose.

I admit I stayed for a lot longer than I had planned to, and at one point, even risked losing everything. But, when I finally got ahead on a huge bet, I immediately cashed it out and walked away without even a glance back.

All-in-all, I made about $170 off the casino floor. My friends were so peeved with me, each of them having lost more than that.

But that's gambling for you. Perhaps they enjoyed the activity, but I personally did not. Within the first few minutes of just looking at Blackjack, I whispered to my friends, "From a money-making perspective, this is crazier than anything I've ever done in stock trading. Unless you're the house, this is definitely no way to make money."

True, you can easily gamble on the stock market as well, but I think there's a floating misconception out there that anything that involves individual stocks must be gambling, and like gambling, you are going to be caught in a fool's errand. That is absolutely false and I heartily recommend you ignore anyone who tells you that.

Unlike the casinos, the stock market is much more complicated, but perhaps not in a bad way. In casinos, the rules are already set, and over time, the house always wins. If they can't win, the game doesn't make it to the floor. Simple as that.

But with the stock market? All kinds of securities and all kinds of strategies can be used to tailor to your own investment needs. Bottom line: You don't have to fast trade, you don't even have to sell, and some stocks, I dare say, have much better odds than holding a good pair of cards.

Ooops, got off on a tangent. Win or lose, I'm glad that I got a taste of what real gambling is like, because now, I can say without a doubt that I indeed do not like to gamble. And that's fine with me!

Half stock market talk.

* By now, who has not heard of "

jobless recovery"? Are we in one though? Who has been working extra hours rather than seeing their employers hire new people?

Hopefully, we are at least in an inventory rebound, where demand may not have surged, but at least production needs to pick up now that inventory has been exhausted.

What do you think?

* I admit I might be getting tired of trading in general, including stock trading. The whole thing started out really more as a learning experiment than anything. And at this point, I am fairly satisfied with what I've been able to experience, especially being able to put it to the test in this recession.

But, when it's all said and done, I think there are other things in life that I should focus on as well. There's no rush on such a decision though, so I'm going to take my sweet old time to think this one over.

* I decided to shop at a ritzy neighborhood grocery store and I was amazed at some of the prices. One of the favorite Gatorades, which normally costs only $1, costs about $1.50 there! A 50% markup! And that's not the only thing.

The prices on other items were about the same. For example, Little Debbie snack cakes still remained at around $1.19 or so, but I guess you really can't argue with the pre-printed price on the box.

I will say their supermarkets tend to be better stocked and staffed, especially with a variety of foods that I don't see elsewhere.

That said though, I felt like I was being robbed by somebody.

I have a stake in Proctor Gamble, and Scottrade is telling me that there is a Mini-Tender offer for it?

The details are scant. It's non-mandatory, cost for the transaction will be $25, offer expires on Nov 5, and here's a link to the SEC for basic information about it.

That's it.

I've never encountered this before. What does this mean? Where do I find out more information about it? Scottrade website provides no clue.

Sure seems like a lot of weird things are happening lately.

This is interesting. Fidelity, my 401(k) provider, is changing my selected Target retirement Freedom fund to a new series called Freedom K funds.

I wonder why?

Whatever it is, they've revamped the entire product line, so it must be a big deal on their end. However, according to their "detail information" article:

"Fidelity Freedom K Funds will have the same management team, investment objectives and will invest in the same underlying funds as the Fidelity Freedom Funds®"

Also, they claim that the expense ratio will be roughly 0.1% or so lower than the regular Freedom series.

Another thing is that I don't think they're phasing out the Freedom series so much as they are adding this Freedom K series to 401(k)s. The regular Freedom series should still be available to retail investors.

What I want to know is, what is the purpose behind this new series? I guess I shouldn't look the gift horse in the mouth, but I just can't imagine that such a big move is purely altruistic....

So does anyone know?

I got a chance to hang out with a couple of friends, one of which I have not seen for a long, long time! It was great to catch up on old times and see how they're doing.

This old friend I haven't seen for a while is a great guy. Really great guy. He's also probably going to be married to his long-time girlfriend, but they haven't made it official yet.

In any case, we were talking about money and he said, "A wise man once said, 'You can't live forever! In fact, you could get hit by a bus and die the very next day! And when you die, you can't take it with you!' So, I say we live it up while we still can. Heck, I'm going to drill into huge debt when I die, because they can't do anything to me after that!"

Palm, meet forehead.

My other friend, who knows me better and probably saw me squirm, diplomatically interjected, "Well, I think there's probably a balance in there somewhere. You know, because you need some money, even though pinching every penny would just be ridiculous."

Although I couldn't bite my tongue, I decided to ride the "diplomatically balanced" bus. I added, "Yeah, I think so too. I mean, I'd like to have a nice little house some day. My car is also breaking down, and I'd like to get a decent replacement. Some day, I would also love to retire and be able to kick up my feet. And you know, all these things require that we save up... something. But yeah, after that, I don't need a yacht or anything, although if I do, you're all invited. "

Now, unlike other friends and circumstances, this particular friend didn't really concern me with what he said, because in that same conversation, he also said something interesting:

His girlfriend/fiance works as an assistant accountant or something like that, and since she's also the um... "dominant personality" in the relationship, she's making him work and pay off all of his debt anyways, but promising even better things in the future, including marriage, if he accomplishes this.

In fact, he was even bragging how he just turned debt-free and has $5000 cash in the bank! I couldn't applaud and praise him enough for that.

But he did repeatedly say that he just doesn't get why she is so uptight about money. I suspect that's going to be a sore spot for them as they move further along in their relationship. But oh well, what else is new right?

As for me, there is NO WAY I'll ever put up with anyone who doesn't have some financial sense again. But what can I say? That's my hang up now.

I tried to make them quickies, but as you can see, I failed miserably. Also, if you're not in the mood to hear me whine, please skip this.

* Ok, I just saw something that shocked me. I won't name any names, but I have a problem with authors that will delete just about any and all comments except the ones that he happens to like.

Look, if you don't like comments (where they are allowed here), please go somewhere else, set up your own blog, and disable the commenting there.

And NO, I will NOT refer anyone I know to you for business. If you can't take even accept a simple little comment, then I have to wonder just what else you're liable to do with our money.

* I don't know how many of you are also on the forums, but um, there's this guy (and I'm sure you know who it is) who is uh, starting to get on my nerves.

I really can't figure out why he feels the need to "compete" against me. As though I'm "That Guy" who is collaborating with "The System" to bring down freedom-loving freedom fighters I mean investors everywhere so that we can all be under some kind of um oppressive investment regime or something. I don't know.

I'm not terribly upset or anything. All this is online, and I can always walk away and putter along with the rest of my life. Plus, I understand he's going through a divorce, and that may have scrambled his brain kind of like the way my divorce scrambled mine. Some of you regulars here know that I wasn't well for a long time.

* So, I have this co-worker. He's married, wife recently lost her job due to the recession, and he is currently both the breadwinner and I believe the money manager of the house.

Now, this guy is a nice guy and I know he's also having a lot of issues with his wife right now. But to cut to the chase, he's also been paying for an escort service for sexual affairs.

Not only that, but these escorts cost anywhere from $200 to $300 an hour! Call me prudish and narrow-minded, but why is it OK to be married and yet cheat on your wife financially and sexually like this? And it's expensive too!

Now, this is kind of touchy, so believe me when I say that I do NOT want to get involved, and nobody else except you fairly anonymous online people are going to know about this.

But you know what's crazy? As much as I am personally against something like this, I can't say that it actually bothers me that much. I guess that, in the end, it simply doesn't affect me in any way. He's still a nice guy, and we're just here to work.